Hugh Freeze addresses roles moving forward for Payton Thorne, Robby Ashford

Auburn is still seeking its first SEC win of the season heading into Week 9. A change is needed, but it doesn’t seem that head coach Hugh Freeze is convinced that the change should be at quarterback.

Freeze has kept Payton Thorne under center throughout the four-game conference losing streak but has sprinkled in Robby Ashford several times a game. Hoping to be on the other side of this losing streak this time next week, the Tigers headman revealed the plan under center for Saturday’s matchup vs. Mississippi State.

“Whatever our offensive staff convinces me is the best chance to win us a game,” Freeze said during his Monday press conference. “I’ve said from day one that I think Robby [Ashford] has a place. Is his place on every down? We’ll see this week. If it’s a package that enables us to continue drives, we always have to look at those things right now with the current state of kind of who we are. I’m not content with anything right now, offensively.”

Neither quarterback has been spectacular this season by any stretch. Combined, the two don’t have 1,000 yards passing on the season but are two of the Tigers’ most prolific runners this season. Ashford’s five rushing touchdowns are tied for the team best with starting running back Jarquez Hunter. Thorne is the team’s second-leading rusher with 61 carries for 259 yards and two touchdowns.

Under their guide, the Tigers have also failed to score more than 21 points in five of Auburn’s first seven games this season. Of course, three of those losses have been to ranked SEC West opponents like Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss in consecutive weeks. Now, they remain at home for a winnable matchup against Mississippi State for Week 9 — but, of course, even that isn’t guaranteed.

If Auburn can’t figure its offense out against the Bulldogs this weekend, the Tigers still have games at Vanderbilt and vs. New Mexico State, which, on paper, are games you’ve already checked off in the win column. That leaves a road trip against Arkansas and the Iron Bowl at Auburn to decide whether the Tigers become bowl-eligible in Freeze’s first season as head coach.

Kickoff between Auburn and Mississippi State is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET live on the SEC Network. The Tigers are 6.5-point favorites entering the week, per Vegas Insider. The over/under total is set at 43.5 points.